CHAPTER VI 



RECOGNIZING AND CORRECTING A DECLINING 

 FORAGE YIELD 



Every plant, whether one of forage value, a noxious weed, or 

 a tree in the deep woods, tells the story of the conditions under 

 which it grows. The rate and luxuriance of its growth and its 

 ability to reproduce are a measure of its response to the particular 

 climate and soil, and indeed to such factors as grazing, competi- 

 tion with other plants, and the like, peculiar to its own little 

 world. 



The excellent results obtained on native western range lands 

 through the use of the deferred and rotation grazing system 

 show that plants need time for growth and repair; they must 

 be given a fair chance if they are expected to take up food from 

 the soil and air and convert it into forage. The serious decline 

 in the grazing capacity of range and pasture lands practically 

 everywhere may be traced almost wholly to a failure to recognize 

 the requirements of plant growth. 



HOW DESTRUCTIVE GRAZING MAY BE RECOGNIZED 

 Old or Empirical Method. — Destructive grazing can not, in 

 fairness to the stockman, be charged entirely to his methods of 

 pasturing. True, the lowered grazing capacity of the native 

 pasture lands is due to faulty livestock management, but in the 

 absence of scientific studies to determine the effects of over- 

 stocking the disastrous outcome could not be foretold. Until 

 recently the grazier has had to base his judgment as to the con- 

 dition of a pasture area on general observations. He has been 

 guided solely by observing the abundance and luxuriance of the 

 plant cover as a whole, and the condition of flesh of the animals 

 grazed. 



Any slight or gradual depletion of the forage crop can not be 



